MarAd Expands Electronic Bulletin
Board

MarAd has expanded its computerized bulletin
board to include "MarAd Advisories" and
"Special Warnings to Mariners."
This new section includes "MarAd Advisories
In Effect" and "Special Warnings In Effect" issued
to mariners from the MarAd's Office of Ship
Operations and the U.S. State Department's Office
of Maritime and Land Transport.

MarAd Advisories rapidly disseminate information
on maritime danger, safety and government
policy and other timely matters pertaining
to U.S.-flag vessel operations. They are issued by
the Office of Ship Operations to vessel masters,
operators and other U.S. maritime interests via
telex message. Special Warnings to mariners
are issued by the U.S. State
Department's Office of Maritime
and Land Transport. These warnings
are the U.S. government's principal
means of informing U.S. seafarers
of official U.S. and foreign
government proclamations affecting
shipping, as well as political
information relevant to ship operations.
They are transmitted to mariners
through the DMA's world-wide
Navigational Information Network.
MarAd Advisories and Special
Warnings to Mariners are published
in the Defense Mapping Agency's
Notice to Mariners.

MarAd's electronic bulletin
board, called MARlinespike, is accessible
by telephone from computers
with modems. Information can
be read online or downloaded for
future reference.

The telephone number is (202)
366-8505. (Modem setting: 8 bits,
no parity, 1 stop bit [8nl].) It also
can be accessed via the Fed World
Gateway (#72).

Additional information on how
to access or use the service is available
by calling (800) 9US-FLAG.